Sant’Agata Bolognese,
2008 - Next year will see Automobili Lamborghini launch an all-new
race series – the world’s fastest one-make series. In May 2009, the
Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo takes to the track with its first
race. By the end of October, it will have completed 18 races on
famous European circuits, supporting popular series like the
Deutsche Tourenwagen-Meisterschaft (DTM), the FIA GT Series and the
FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC). To participate, the
factory is offering its customers an exclusive sports machine – the
Gallardo Super Trofeo with 419 kW (570 hp), a reworked chassis and
significantly reduced weight.

The Super Trofeo is the only one-make series in the motorsport world
to feature cars with all-wheel drive. And it is Lamborghini’s clear
objective to ensure that it will be the fastest single-brand series
in the world – partly due to the technical superiority of the
all-wheel drive principle. From May the Super Trofeo will make guest
appearances at six race events – at Silverstone (UK), on the Adria
Raceway (Italy), on the Norisring (Germany), in Spa (Belgium), in
Barcelona (Spain) and in Monza (Italy).

Lamborghini is building 30 cars for the Super Trofeo, which they are
making available to individual enthusiasts, as well as to
Lamborghini dealer teams. The factory will enter one car for itself,
and plans to commission well-known guest drivers to take the wheel.
And on the edge of the racing action, the Super Trofeo Village
hospitality venue will be available.

The Super Trofeo race
car is based on the Gallardo LP 560-4, powered by the new 5.2 litre
V10 with direct fuel injection (IDS), generating an increased output
of 419 kW (570 hp). Its power flows through the e.gear six-speed
robotized gear box to the permanent all-wheel drive with viscous
traction – the kind of power transmission perfectly suited to
motorsport.

The Super Trofeo is a
top-class race car in every detail. Its chassis, featuring double
wishbone suspension all round, has been reworked specifically for
the purpose. The competition tyres are supplied by Pirelli and a
specialist racing brake system provides brutal stopping power with
racing ABS. Additional body components such as the large, fixed rear
wing are made from carbon-fibre composite. The cockpit hosts an
ultra-light race seat, a racing steering wheel and additional
specialized racing instruments.

The Lamborghini
Blancpain Super Trofeo will take to the track in May 2009 and is the
only one-make series in the world to feature all-wheel drive cars.
And it is also set to be the fastest single-brand race series
anywhere in the world – that is the clearly stated objective.

This November sees
Lamborghini begin work in Sant’Agata Bolognese on the construction
of the 30 race cars that will constitute the starting grid. In
spring and summer 2009, the Super Trofeo will run 18 races on
well-known European circuits, starting on 3 May in Silverstone (UK),
then on 17 May on the Adria Raceway (Italy), 5 July on the Norisring
in Nuremberg (Germany), 2 August in Spa (Belgium), 20 September in
Barcelona (Spain) and on 4 October in Monza (Italy).*Dates
provisional

For all six race
weekends, the new Lamborghini single-brand trophy will find itself
in sterling company – in Nuremberg and Barcelona, it will enjoy the
track with the Deutsche Tourenwagen-Meisterschaft (DTM), while the
Monza race is in co-operation with the World Touring Car
Championship (WTCC). In Silverstone, Adria and Spa, the Super Trofeo
will complement the FIA GT sports car championship.
The rules are straightforward. Either one or two drivers per car can
register for the series. On Friday, there are two 30-minute
sessions, of which one is a qualifying session. The first race takes
place on Saturday, with two further races during the race weekend.
Each race lasts approximately 40 minutes and the results are added
together. No additional weight penalty will be imposed on the most
successful vehicles. The cars may not be modified during the season
– all relevant components – engine, transmission and chassis – are
marked accordingly.

The title sponsor of the
Super Trofeo is exclusive Swiss watch maker Blancpain.

The price tag – 200,000 Euro
per car

Lamborghini is offering
the competition vehicles and replacement parts via its dealerships,
with each car costing 200,000 Euro plus tax. Both professional and
‘gentleman’ drivers with an International Competition Licence (A, B
or C) are free to enter the Super Trofeo, as are teams from
Lamborghini dealerships. The factory will also enter its own car,
and is lining up celebrity drivers for guest appearances at the
wheel. During the race weekends, Lamborghini provides support to all
drivers with an outstanding technology and parts service.

In the paddock, drivers,
sponsors and guests can relax and enjoy themselves in the stylish
hospitality area, the Super Trofeo Village.

The technology -
Breathtaking power

The technical basis for
the Super Trofeo is already a winner – no less than the Gallardo LP
560-4, the brand’s latest model. The constructors took the basic
design of its engine, transmission and chassis. They then carried
out extensive detailed rework and refinement of all components to
prepare them for racetrack performance – with the target of making
the Super Trofeo the fastest one-make series in the world.

As is the case for all
Lamborghinis, the race car’s engine is mounted longitudinally.
Located amidships, the V10 was newly developed for the LP 560-4 and
has a displacement of 5,204 cm3. At 6,500 r/min, it generates 540 Nm
of torque at the crankshaft and, at 8,000 r/min, a breathtaking 419
kW (570 hp). The increase of 7 kW (10 hp) against the series
production model is the result of recalibrated engine management.
The exhaust system was also specially developed for the task to be
extremely lightweight. The V10 works with it to produce a technical
symphony of powerful harmonics that builds up through the revs with
a meaty crescendo to finish in a mighty fortissimo.

The naturally aspirated
ten-cylinder is race engine perfection. Its number of cylinders
forms the ideal synthesis of high performance, potent pulling power,
light-footed high revving, low weight and compact dimensions. Its
technical refinements include dry sump lubrication, which guarantees
oil supply even under extreme lateral acceleration, while at the
same time lowering the centre of gravity. The 90-degree cylinder
angle on the crank case serves the same purpose. The block is cast
in hypereutectic aluminium alloy, with the bore surfaces machined
from solid. The connecting rods are made from forged steel and the
pistons are aluminium.

The V10 features direct
injection– “Iniezione Diretta Stratificata” – which fires the fuel
through laterally-positioned injectors into the combustion chambers
at pressures of up to 100 bar. Direct injection reduces knock
sensitivity and provides a degree of internal cooling – thus
enabling a higher compression ratio of 12.5:1, which results in a
mighty power output and high levels of fuel efficiency. All four
camshafts feature variable adjustment, facilitating a wide spectrum
of valve control times and thus improving charge characteristics
throughout the entire rev range.

Power-to-weight ratio: Only
2.28 kilograms per hp

The specific output of
the short-stroke engine is 109.5 hp per litre of displacement – each
hp has to move no more than 2.28 kilograms, because the race car
weighs in at only 1,300 kg dry.
Like the LP 560-4, the Super Trofeo also features all-wheel drive
with “viscous traction” – an exclusive technology from Lamborghini.
The viscous coupling in the driveline, which functions without
electronic control, distributes the driving force under normal
operating conditions at a ratio of 30:70. If necessary, it adjusts
to specific requirements and driving conditions within just a few
milliseconds. Grip is optimised at the rear axle via a mechanical
differential providing up to 45 percent limited slip.
With a weight distribution of 43:57 between the front and rear
axles, the Super Trofeo boasts the perfect balance for a race car.
Lamborghini first introduced all-wheel drive in 1993 in the Diablo
VT, because it is the best technology for the highest performance.
Four driven wheels have more grip than two, enabling the driver to
accelerate earlier when exiting a curve. And it is not only traction
that benefits from permanent all-wheel drive, but also lateral
dynamics and stability.

Lamborghini is equipping
the Super Trofeo with its e.gear robotized transmission as standard.
It changes gear at the speed of lightning, especially at higher
loads and engine speeds. The electronic gear box management,
controlled by the driver via shift paddles behind the steering
wheel, is optimised for the shortest possible shift times and the
highest engine speed. In the race car version, Lamborghini hands
over full responsibility for manoeuvring at the limit to the driver.

The chassis – Optimised for the
race track

The Super Trofeo also
demonstrates its supreme potential when it comes to the chassis.
Aluminium double wishbones guide all four wheels, with an additional
track rod adding extra stability to the rear axle. The rack and
pinion steering, with discrete fluid cooling, connects the driver
directly to the track thanks to its high-precision operating
characteristics and relatively low power assistance. While the axle
guide bearings remain unchanged, the springs are harder and the
dampers shorter.

The Super Trofeo moves
on 18 inch light alloy wheels, each weighing only around 10
kilograms. The rims are dressed in Pirelli racing tyres.

The braking system has
also been developed specifically for the extreme demands of
motorsport. Behind the front wheels are steel discs measuring 375
millimetres in diameter and 34 millimetres thick, while the
dimensions at the rear are 365 x 32 mm. On the front axle,
Lamborghini has mounted eight-piston callipers, in the rear
six-piston callipers. The ABS anti-lock brake system is set-up
specifically for racing.

The bodyshell – Radically
lightweight

Only 1,300 kilograms
(dry weight) – the Super Trofeo shows its race car character on the
scales, too. Compared with the series production sports car, the
weight has been reduced by 110 kg; this includes the ca. 35 kg added
by the extra, high-strength safety cage essential for motorsport.

The bodyshell of the
Super Trofeo is 4.34 metres long, 1.90 metres wide and only 1.16
metres high. It is built using the spaceframe method – cast nodes
and extruded profiles create a frame into which aluminium panels are
friction locked and form fitted. In typical Lamborghini fashion, the
bodyshell is not only extremely light; it also is exceptionally safe
and boasts tremendous torsional stiffness – forming the basis for
its outstanding handling characteristics.

One glance is all it
takes to see that the Super Trofeo is a top-class race car. The
front skirt and the splitter that directs the airflow beneath the
specially smoothed aluminium underbody, the rear bonnet and front
compartment cover, the side skirts, the diffuser, the rear skirt and
the large wing are all made from carbon-fibre composite. Using
screws, the rear wing can be repositioned to suit the requirements
of the various demanding race tracks. The bonnet and front
compartment panels are opened and closed using quick-release
fasteners. All windscreens and windows are made from Makrolon
lightweight hi-tech polycarbonate instead of glass.

The Interior – The beauty of
functionality

The majority of the
weight savings achieved by Lamborghini in the Super Trofeo took
place in the vehicle’s interior. Finished in black Alcantara, its
panels are made from carbon-fibre composite. The roof and parts of
the doors are presented uncovered – displaying the raw beauty of
functional technology. The carpet and sound-absorbing acoustic
materials have been removed, as have the dual-zone climate control
and audio and multimedia systems. Regardless of weight removal,
every one of the uncompromisingly high quality criteria
characteristic to the Lamborghini brand still applies – even more so
in the construction of the Super Trofeo.

Instead of the series
production electrically adjustable sports seats, the Super Trofeo is
equipped with one low-mounted racing bucket seat, which provides
perfect ergonomic support to the driver. The seat is produced in
extremely light and stiff Kevlar carbon-fibre composite, and
upholstered in black fabric. Its underside is made from black
anodized aluminium. Six-point racing harnesses secure the upper
body. The racing bucket seat alone saves over 50 kilograms.

A data display system
integrated into the race car’s CAN bus retains all the key
information relating to the function and status of the technology.
The small racing steering wheel with its chunky rim can be removed
for entering the vehicle via a quick-release fastener. Shift lights
in the instrument panel indicate when a rev limit has been reached,
while an additional display shows lap times. A main switch for the
on-board electrical network and a fire extinguishing system – both
of which can be activated from outside the vehicle – complete the
specific equipment in the race car made for the Lamborghini
Blancpain Super Trofeo.